Friday 29 March 2013
Long Cold Good Friday
When will this bitterly cold weather end? It's almost April and officially spring, so why does it still feel like winter. I was gazing longingly at my shorts, short sleeved jerseys and track mitts the other day but today is certainly not a day to wear them. So its back on with the winter tights, thermals, wind-stopper tops, over shoes, skull cap and gloves before we head for the hills of North Dorset.
Our route takes us from home out past hurn to ringwood and on to Fordingbridge. From here we head out to Cranborne and on to Sixpenny Handley. It sounds really easy when you type it but a couple of good climbs along the way including the Cat 4 climb on the B3801 out of Sixpenny Handley a 1.7 mile drag that averages around 4%. However, a wrong turn and our life is about to get harder we should have known what was coming as we enjoyed a tricky and exhilarating descent.
Yes you guessed it we were face with a monster climb out of the valley this time a 7.5% average and 40 miles into the ride. It hurt all the more for knowing we had planned to turn off for the Airfield at Compton Abbas which was a flattish ride along the ridge, who would have thought that one turn too early could hurt so much! Any way a good point for much needed refreshment before heading onto Blandford and a comfort break and then onto home via Wimborne.
Once again an enjoyable ride even though our feet were frozen and it was our longest ride to date.
Hopefully or next blog will see us riding in slightly less arctic conditions. It's the Coastlet on 7 April the first of our Challenges a 100k ride from Wareham to Weymouth and back it comes complete with some quite lumpy bits (hills)!
Our route takes us from home out past hurn to ringwood and on to Fordingbridge. From here we head out to Cranborne and on to Sixpenny Handley. It sounds really easy when you type it but a couple of good climbs along the way including the Cat 4 climb on the B3801 out of Sixpenny Handley a 1.7 mile drag that averages around 4%. However, a wrong turn and our life is about to get harder we should have known what was coming as we enjoyed a tricky and exhilarating descent.
Yes you guessed it we were face with a monster climb out of the valley this time a 7.5% average and 40 miles into the ride. It hurt all the more for knowing we had planned to turn off for the Airfield at Compton Abbas which was a flattish ride along the ridge, who would have thought that one turn too early could hurt so much! Any way a good point for much needed refreshment before heading onto Blandford and a comfort break and then onto home via Wimborne.
Once again an enjoyable ride even though our feet were frozen and it was our longest ride to date.
Hopefully or next blog will see us riding in slightly less arctic conditions. It's the Coastlet on 7 April the first of our Challenges a 100k ride from Wareham to Weymouth and back it comes complete with some quite lumpy bits (hills)!
Sunday 24 March 2013
CTC Wessex To Brockenhurst and back
Another cold March Sunday morning but keen to get cycling as the weather has played havoc with our planned rides recently. We meet up with Dave and Doreen and set off for the coffee stop at Bashley were we will meet up with the rest of the group who will all cycle there independently.
Our route out takes us out to Hurn and past the airport and on to Avon were we miss the quieter back lanes in preference for the 'B' roads. There has been a lot of rain recently so we know the back lanes will be a trifle damp! We drop down to Sopley and across to Bransgore before arriving at our first destination coffee at the Potting Shed. Some of the other riders are already ensconced in the corner by the radiator enjoying hot drinks and cake. We get our refreshments and join them and chat as the group slowly grows.
We discuss the next part of the ride and some choose to head straight home while we head off for Brockenhurst and lunch. At Brockenhurst we are thinking that those who headed straight home after coffee were wise, so we quickly have a drink and a bite to eat before we do the same.
We head back virtually the way we came through Sway, Hinton and Bransgore and on to home braving the snow flurries as we go.
We say goodbye to Dave and Doreen thanking them for their company and an enjoyable ride and head for the warmth of home and a hot bath.
Our route out takes us out to Hurn and past the airport and on to Avon were we miss the quieter back lanes in preference for the 'B' roads. There has been a lot of rain recently so we know the back lanes will be a trifle damp! We drop down to Sopley and across to Bransgore before arriving at our first destination coffee at the Potting Shed. Some of the other riders are already ensconced in the corner by the radiator enjoying hot drinks and cake. We get our refreshments and join them and chat as the group slowly grows.
We discuss the next part of the ride and some choose to head straight home while we head off for Brockenhurst and lunch. At Brockenhurst we are thinking that those who headed straight home after coffee were wise, so we quickly have a drink and a bite to eat before we do the same.
We head back virtually the way we came through Sway, Hinton and Bransgore and on to home braving the snow flurries as we go.
We say goodbye to Dave and Doreen thanking them for their company and an enjoyable ride and head for the warmth of home and a hot bath.
Friday 8 March 2013
Cambridge and Essex Lanes
At Jackie's for the weekend so on Friday while everyone is at work or school Kathy and I set off in the morning mists for Cambridge. Compared to recent rides it feels quite warm if not a bit damp but no rain.
We have carefully planned the route, have a route plan written out and have the Ordnance Survey map with us, however, we still miss the first major turn but fortunately realise after about a 100 yards. Someone told us, Steve I think, that Essex was flat. Well, at this point I would like to disagree because unless we were both hallucinating this windmill was definitely on top of a hill!!
We rode through some beautiful villages and decided that there probably were some great views to be enjoyed. Unfortunately the mist prevented any such enjoyment.
We cycled on to Grantchester were we stopped at the Rupert Brooke Pub for lunch, once again a great bowl of soup but this time roasted red pepper.
It was the first time out with the new larger saddle bags and it was nice not to have to ride with a rucksack.
We have decided that cycling is all the better for doing the winter rides, as come the summer it's going to be great to ride in shorts and jerseys, looking back at the hard, cold, wet and uncomfortable winter rides.
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| Great views! |
We rode through some beautiful villages and decided that there probably were some great views to be enjoyed. Unfortunately the mist prevented any such enjoyment.
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| Dirty bikes |
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| New saddlebags |
By now the mist had turned to rain so we decided to press on and pick up the pace while heading back to Jackie's and being thankful that we had packed our rain jackets.
By the time we got back we were cold and wet, the bikes were filthy but we had still enjoyed a fantastic ride.It was the first time out with the new larger saddle bags and it was nice not to have to ride with a rucksack.
Sunday 3 March 2013
CTC Wesex - Moreton via Wareham
Out again with CTC Wessex this time out to Wareham then on to Bere Regis is the plan.
First stop is Bob's at Wareham for coffee which requires negotiating the busy Wareham Road so Kathy and John blaze a trail to get off it as quickly as possible! Coffee and teacakes in Bob's conservatory and no chance to sleep as the smoke alarm keeps us awake as someone burns the teacakes!! A great opportunity to chat and introduce ourselves to new people. We chat with Dave and Doreen who live just down the road from us.
We leave Bob's planning to go to Tollpuddle instead of Bere Regis but the closure of the level crossing due to maintenance at Wool requires another change of plan so we pedal on to Moreton. Moreton is where Lawrence of Arabia is buried and has a beautiful church with etched windows by Sir Laurence Whistler it was also home to James Frampton who was responsible for trying the Tolpuddle Martyrs. We stop at Moreton for lunch in the Church yard and the above history lesson!
After lunch the group splits some heading off north deeper into Dorset while Kathy and I join up with Dave and Doreen and Robert and Russell to head South and home. A great cycle home chatting and getting to know the 2D's better. By the time we get home we have completed 52 miles and our longest ride to date.
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| St Nicholas Church |
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| T.E.Lawrence |
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| Church window |
After lunch the group splits some heading off north deeper into Dorset while Kathy and I join up with Dave and Doreen and Robert and Russell to head South and home. A great cycle home chatting and getting to know the 2D's better. By the time we get home we have completed 52 miles and our longest ride to date.
Saturday 2 March 2013
Saturday Group
Back on the Christchurch to Burley ride and at least this time we know the drill and Terry has some other new recruits to shepherd this week. So we set out with a slightly faster group and get ourselves a good work out on the route to Burley. It was good to ride with a faster group but not the social interaction we have experienced on previous cycles but we are new to this and don't know many other cyclists yet.
However, we get to the cafe which, is heaving and find a seat at a table with three other cyclists. We are a little intimidated as they look really fit and are obviously good club cyclists. We ask if we can join them and then to our surprise we are included in their conversation. Thanks Ben and friends we really appreciated your company and your tips for training and cycling. If we were not sure before that cycling is a truly inclusive activity, then we are now. Good luck in the Alps guys but if you don't mind we need to master the Dorset and Hampshire hills first!
A pleasant ride home with John, Terry and his new charges and then home to clean bikes ready for a CTC ride tomorrow.
However, we get to the cafe which, is heaving and find a seat at a table with three other cyclists. We are a little intimidated as they look really fit and are obviously good club cyclists. We ask if we can join them and then to our surprise we are included in their conversation. Thanks Ben and friends we really appreciated your company and your tips for training and cycling. If we were not sure before that cycling is a truly inclusive activity, then we are now. Good luck in the Alps guys but if you don't mind we need to master the Dorset and Hampshire hills first!
A pleasant ride home with John, Terry and his new charges and then home to clean bikes ready for a CTC ride tomorrow.
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